BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

STUDENTS who were currently awaiting results of their O and A level examinations are invited to volunteer as preschool assistant teachers.

“Since O and A level results are expected to be released by the end of the month and while these students are waiting for college and university admission, we welcome them to volunteer under the pre-school teacher assistants programme,” said Ermawaty Yacub, education officer at Early Childhood Care and Education Unit, Ministry of Education.

Speaking to The Brunei Times, she said the programme has received positive response from previous batch of O and A level students.

Last year, the unit recorded a participation of a total of 114 volunteers.

As of January 2014, the unit said it had observed an increase in volunteers registering for the programme which has reached 154 applicants.

“The students can choose which primary schools they prefer to volunteer at. They have to register to our unit before they go to the primary schools as we need to notify the school principals beforehand for safety and recording purposes. At the moment, we are only giving out appreciation certificates as an incentive to these volunteers. Nonetheless, we have been receiving positive feedbacks from the volunteers of their invaluable experiences,” added Ermawaty.

The volunteer programme was introduced by unit in 2012 and was opened to sixth form graduates to serve as preschool teacher assistants at the beginning of the school session.

The Deputy Minister of Education, Dato Seri Setia Hj Yussof Hj Ismail, during a recent visit to two primary schools in Tutong District said that the programme has benefitted preschool teachers in their teaching.

In a previous report, the teacher assistants were said to be involved in the Orientation Programme for preschool pupils.

There are 120 government primary schools providing pre-school classes with 2,889 pupils aged four to six registered throughout the country this year.

Students who are interested to volunteer under the programme can contact the unit at 2383503 or 2382269 during office hours for registration. They can also contact the education officers in-charge of the programme, Ermawaty Yacub (8809960), Hjh Siti Radiyah Hj Ibrahim (8847800) and Norsusilawati Hj Md Tahir (8639459).

The Brunei Times